Day 11 - Sundsvall aaaand breakdown!

So after our free camp, we set off early in the hope that we would be allowed on the earliest bus out of Umea to Sundsvall, the unofficial halfway point of our trip where we would finally set off on the bikes for some consistent days of riding again.

There were no guarantees for the busses to accept our bikes, and when the bus pulled in we knew it was a company that officially refused to carry cycles. But, luckily for us, the coach was being driven by the nicest driver in Sweden. He insisted that, being his duty to serve customers, he should carry our bikes even though his employer refuses. So before long we were on the bus to Sundsvall, swapping stories with Magnus as he beamed and grinned and thanked us for being 'so polite' (while we thanked him right back, in that British way).

The coach was a chance to catch up on sleep, take in the scenery and reflect on all the misery that we were missing by not cycling the E4 highway. We arrived at Sundsvall at midday, grabbed some coffee and lunch and we're feeling pretty good about ourselves.

Unfortunately that wasn't to last, as we tried to set off for our cycle South for the evening and I realised that my rear wheel has been damaged by the less-friendly bus driver who dropped my bike (along with me) off the back of his bustwo days earlier. I won't elaborate, as it just makes me angry.

So instead of leaving Sundsvall this evening, we are stuck in a nearby campsite so that I can head back in to town tomorrow and get my bike fixed. But, on the upside, our current campsite is a nice beach front type, overlooking the Gulf of Bothnia. So it has become a nice evening to sit out and enjoy some drinks, while watching Terns dive in the lapping water.Læs mere